What to do if My Dog Doesn't Want to Eat

Some dogs have a ravenous appetite and are always willing to eat everything. Sometimes however, they simply get bored of always eating the same thing and will reach a point when they refuse to eat. When this happens, owners often become worried about their dog's health. Before you panic, please remember that this behavior is quite common. However, in some cases they could be acting like this due to an underlying condition. At oneHOWTO we offer some suggestions about what to do if your dog doesn't want to eat their food.

Why doesn't my dog want to eat?

The reason that your dog doesn't want to eat may be simpler than it seems. It's likely that your dog may dislike their food. Perhaps they never did but simply ate it because there was no other option, until one day they decided not to eat it anymore. When this happens, it's a good idea to change the flavor and even the brand, to find out what food they like best. We recommend always buy quality food for your dog.

Can you give a dog human food?

When a dog doesn't want to eat, one option that many people resort to is to give them human food. This option seems enticing, but you should know that our food doesn't necessarily contain the necessary nutrients and vitamins. It could even cause the dog to get sick. Therefore, don't substitute human food for dog food. Even using this option as a temporary option is not recommended. A dog could quickly become accustomed to eating human food, and perhaps the dog wont eat dog food but will eat human food. Check out why your dog has stopped eating dog food on AnimalWised.

Try to find a flavor that your dog likes. Add a very small amount of coconut oil to your dog's food, for example. This will not only almost certainly appeal your dog, but will also have many health benefits. Learn how to do it!

What should i do if my dog doesn't want to eat?

You can mix the dog food, using two different flavours or opt for dry dog food and canned, and give one in the morning and the other at night or alternate throughout the week. This will give the dog more variety and they will be more enthusiastic when it comes to mealtimes.

Another tactic to try if your dog doesn't want to eat, is to choose foods with a scent that will appeal to your dog. The stronger the scent, the more the dog's appetite will increase.

During the process of changing and testing new dog food , remain close to your dog while they're eating, because they often enjoy humans' company and like to be close to us when we do so. It may be just the strategy you need to improve your dog's appetite.

Remember that it's normal for dogs to get bored always eating the same food, so don't wait to change their food. You should vary their diet by combining two types of dog food or change it every few months.

Other reasons

If you are still wondering: "why doesn't my dog want to eat?", as well as your dog simply disliking their food, there may be other reasons why they don't eat. For example, heat, stress or sudden changes can cause a dog to lose their appetite. Your dog may also have mouth disease, rocky mountain spotted fever, common fever or even a gastric torsion.

It may be that your dog has anorexia. That is, that they don't want to eat because of a serious, underlying disease, such as a loss of smell or an imbalance in the nervous system. Tumors or renal problems can also cause a dog to lose their appetite.

If you are unsure about how much your dog should be eating, we recommend you consult the oneHOWTO article that explains how to know how much food your dog should eat.

It's important that if, after following our advice your dog still doesn't want to eat, you take them to a vet promptly, to determine if a more serious problem exists.

If you want to read similar articles to What to do if My Dog Doesn't Want to Eat, we recommend you visit our Pets category.

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3 comments

Sheryl

27/11/2018

My dog is in heat and showing not interest in eating. Is this a symptom from her being in heat?

OneHowTo Editor

28/11/2018

Hi Sheryl,

Some dogs may lose their appetite when in heat. However, they shouldn't stop eating altogether, so keep and eye on them and take them to the vet if they don't eat at all.

Rating:

Daniel

16/11/2016

Looking for help on why does my dog chooses not to eat and keeps throwing up

OneHowTo Editor

16/11/2016

It could be any of the reasons mentioned in the article. Are you sure your dog hasn't got a temperature? Do you think he might have eaten something toxic?
In any case, we advise you to take him to a vet if your dog hasn't stopped vomiting in 24h.
Hope he gets better.

Rittah

06/01/2016

I want to know what can I give him I'm worried sick dat he won't make it yesterday then I gave him Bob martin after that he ate very well. Now he is doing the same thing of yesterday,other dogs were eating except him he is 9weeks I love him very much

OneHowTo Editor

07/01/2016

Hi Rittah, if you have tried the tips mentioned in the article and they haven't worked, we'd advise you to take your dog to the vet, as it could be sign of a serious disease.